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Health care providers, community members, and researchers from across New Jersey came together at the ‘Conference for Change’ event, hosted by the New Jersey Primary Care Association and sponsored by ScreenNJ to address the need to improve screening rates for colorectal and lung cancers.

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Longer days means more exposure to the sun and harmful UV rays. A Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey expert shares some tips on how to keep your skin safe this season and all year long.

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An analysis of lymph node dissection in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma indicates the procedure is often performed for stage 1 disease and shows no overall survival benefit. Investigators from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey presented the work at the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association.

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From peer and patient education to addressing treatment side effects, nurses at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey researched a number of topics with an aim of enhancing the patient experience. Their findings are being presented at the Oncology Nursing Society’s Annual Congress.

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The development of targeted tools for therapy is a major focus in oncology. A new study by investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at University Hospital, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and other collaborators describes what they call a “major advance” to a screening technique they pioneered that searches for molecular signatures intrinsic to normal or diseased tissues.

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Investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute have discovered that some mutations detected in comprehensive, clinical genome sequencing of patients with solid tumors do not originate from cancer cells, but arise from mutated hematopoietic cells that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment. The findings, they say, have direct implications for cancer patients, specifically in accurately interpreting their molecular testing results and ensuring that treatment is focused on somatic tumor-specific mutations.

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Are indoor tanners taking measures to prevent skin cancer? A researcher from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and colleagues at Fox Chase Cancer Center found a majority of the indoor tanners analyzed in this study are not taking part in skin cancer screening.

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With an aim to propel precision medicine and other cutting-edge research to better inform treatment decisions for the youngest of patients, nationally distinguished pediatric hematology/oncology leader Peter D. Cole, MD, has been proposed as the Embrace Kids Foundation Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

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Research by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators has identified novel functions of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) enzyme providing support that it could serve as a therapeutic target in the most common type of lung cancer.

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Updated statistics from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration out this month show that over the previous year, there has been an increase in cases of an uncommon form of cancer associated with breast implants. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey’s Andrew Evens, DO, MSc, FACP, shares some insight.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Director Steven K. Libutti, MD, FACS, who is also senior vice president of oncology services at RWJBarnabas Health and vice chancellor for cancer programs for Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, has been named by the business journal NJBIZ to its Power 100 list.

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With spring now here, home improvement projects are on many ‘to do’ lists. With that come the usual warnings about safe removal of construction and home materials made of asbestos in much older homes, as exposure to this fibrous mineral is a known risk factor to the development of mesothelioma. A Rutgers Cancer Institute expert shares more about this type of cancer.

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Research by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators explores the use of a diabetes drug and its impact on pancreatic cancer and finds that targeting a certain signaling pathway with this agent may be a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey has earned the prestigious accreditation as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

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There’s more to caring for cancer patients than treatments and doctor’s visits. At Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey the Social Work Department is dedicated to treating the ‘whole’ patient by helping them navigate important issues one may not think about in connection with the cancer journey.

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With colorectal cancer tabbed as the third leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the nation, experts from Rutgers Cancer Institute discuss the benefits of screening.

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Innovation and progress in cancer research and care are the result of collaboration and resources. This advancement also extends to cancer prevention and education, but more emphasis on these areas is needed -- especially when it comes to colorectal cancer. So say the directors of both Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers Cancer Institute at University Hospital.

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New oncology leaders for Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at University Hospital in Newark have been named, further enhancing the facility’s expertise and ability to deliver National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center services to the greater Essex County region.

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While cancer treatment advances are being made in precision medicine and immunotherapy, a unique combination of traditional therapies can also provide some patients benefit. A Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey expert shares more about an approach combining cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic chemotherapy for cancers that have spread to the abdominal cavity.

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Results of a phase II study presented at the recent American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting shows the best outcomes to date for older Hodgkin lymphoma patients treated with brentuximab vedotin before and after AVD chemotherapy. A presenting author from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey shares details.

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Several physicians at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey have earned recognition as a ‘Top Doctor for Women’s Health’ by Inside Jersey magazine, which recently released its annual listing.

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While cervical cancer can be deadly, it is preventable. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey's Dr. Eugenia Girda shares more about screening and the HPV vaccine.

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Investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey have developed a statistical method to identify patients with potential inherited, germline alterations in tumor suppressor genes while estimating gene loss in cancer cells through targeted genome sequencing.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey is now recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Foundation in the research, diagnosis and treatment of MDS disorders.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health have named Andrew M. Evens, DO, MSc, FACP as a new oncology leader responsible for the delivery of integrated cancer care across both entities in servicing the region. Dr. Evens, whose clinical expertise is in hematologic malignancies, most recently was the director of the Cancer Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

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A $1 million grant from Gateway for Cancer Research will help Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Urologic Oncology Chief Isaac Yi Kim, MD, PhD, MBA evaluate the impact of surgically removing the prostate in men with metastatic prostate cancer in the United States and Asia.

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Further enhancing a commitment to cutting-edge clinical research efforts, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health are welcoming Howard S. Hochster, MD, an internationally recognized leader in the development of cancer clinical trials and early phase cancer drugs.

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Researchers at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey examined an association between mutational burden and response to immune checkpoint therapy in several cancer types and found that a mutational burden threshold exists in eight cancers that predict response to an immune checkpoint blockade.

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Isaac Yi Kim, MD, PhD, MBA, urologic oncology section chief at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey has been awarded a $954,000 Department of Defense grant to explore how neuroendocrine markers impact a common treatment for a type of prostate cancer that doesn’t respond to testosterone-lowering therapies.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey research further elucidates a tumor suppression mechanism behind the human Parkin gene – which could help inform treatment decisions for breast cancer patients who have a Parkin mutation or loss of Parkin expression.

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Typically around the holidays, healthy eating habits established over the year go by the wayside. A Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey registered dietitian shares a few tips to keep your waistline in check this holiday season.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health, and University Hospital have committed to increasing colorectal cancer screening across New Jersey by joining a national effort with the American Cancer Society in the fight against this disease.

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Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women. It is a preventable disease as 80 percent of lung cancer deaths are thought to result from smoking. An expert from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey notes awareness and a tobacco-free lifestyle are key.

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In the fight against pancreatic cancer, a Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey expert says research is key

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A number of chief physicians at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, are being honored as a ‘Jersey Choice Top Doctor’ by New Jersey Monthly magazine.

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Tumors acquire nutrition necessary for growth and survival from the body of the patient in which they reside. Although these nutrients are predominantly provided by the circulating blood supply, the knowledge of how they are used by tumors is incomplete. Identifying tumor nutrients and how they are used may reveal novel approaches to cancer therapy. Research from investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Princeton University finds that circulating lactate rather than glucose is the prominent metabolic fuel source for tumors and most normal tissues.

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A $2.4 million grant from the National Cancer Institute awarded to Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey behavioral scientist will support the development and testing of a novel behavioral intervention delivered through the social media site Facebook to reduce high-risk indoor tanning behaviors among young women.

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Research by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators and others shows that the architecture of a cell’s nucleus influences the type and frequency of mutations in cancer genomes beyond the effects already captured by DNA packaging and ordering.

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Research shows that up to 75 percent of women experience deficits in their intellectual capacity (i.e., cognitive impairment) during or after breast cancer treatment including being “forgetful” and having “trouble concentrating or remembering.” A Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey expert shares more about the need to be aware of and address these issues so that quality of life for affected patients is maintained.

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Research by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators shows the targeting of a binding protein of mutant p53 known as Rac1 could lead to new therapeutic strategies for patients whose cancer carries mutations in the p53 gene.

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September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. Many gynecologic cancers can be cured, but a delay in diagnosis can make cure more difficult. Experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey encourage women to "know their bodies."

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There are approximately 57,000 newly diagnosed thyroid cancers annually. Do you know the signs and symptoms? A Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey expert shares more.

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A clinical trial testing the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab shows the drug to be well tolerated among patients who have carcinoid or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. That’s according to investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and others. The work is being presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2017 Congress next week in Madrid.

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Expanding its surgical and research focus on cancers of the abdominal area and rare conditions including endocrine and mesothelioma malignancies, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey has named H. Richard Alexander, MD, FACS, as its new chief surgical officer. He will be part of the Institute’s Gastrointestinal Oncology Program when he arrives this fall.

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Jennifer Tsui, PhD, a researcher at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a $729,000 Mentored Research Scholar Grant in Applied and Clinical Research (MRSG-17-099-01-CPHSPS) from the American Cancer Society to further explore health care delivery and care transitions for underserved cancer patients.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the National Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Research are collaborating on work examining DNA repair in cancer thanks to $4 million in support including $2 million from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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The immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and “promising durable clinical activity” in pretreated patients who exhibit high levels of the PD-L1 protein in advanced stages of small cell lung cancer. That is according to data from a phase 1b clinical trial conducted by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators and colleagues at centers around the world.

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigators have received $450,000 in funding to support research projects in immunotherapy and basic science research that could impact pancreatic, breast and other cancers. The Pre- and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Grants were awarded by the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research.

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Janet Gordils-Perez, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, from Plainsboro Township, has been named Chief Nursing Officer at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. She was recently promoted from her position as Director of Oncology Nursing. Dr. Gordils-Perez came to Rutgers Cancer Institute in 2004 from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she was an adult nurse practitioner and a clinical research nurse.

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A $2.24 million competing renewal grant from the National Cancer Institute will support the work of investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Princeton University to learn more about the fuel required for tumor growth. The collaborative research will focus on melanomas and lung cancers caused by mutations in genes known as K-ras and Braf.